My hands are how it all started, making a leather handbag for my mother. I am a woman of the craft. Creating things by hand is something that I've mastered over time and fallen in love with. Not just leatherwork and bookbinding but needlework, cooking and much more. Over the years as Queensberry grew I got busier and busier, and, for much of each year, I've put this aside. But today I was reminded how much I've missed working with my hands … the feeling, the respect for my craft, the getting back to a space that fills me with love. Why is handmade so special? To View More >>

Our UK friends have lots of exciting learning events coming up. We wish we could be there - check 'em out! This summer Aspire Photography have a variety of different courses to suit all abilities, from Lighroom Essentials to polish those post-production and workflow skills, Inspire My Weddings for advanced wedding photographers, and Becoming a Lifestyle Commercial Photographer for those wanting to step into the world of commercial photography. Brett Harkness also has a bunch of exciting events coming up. On his two day Prague Documentary To View More >>

As a social photographer, it's so easy to get caught up working for clients and watching our bottom line that creative inspiration can become just another item on our To Do list. So how can we stay inspired, and so do our best work for clients, without getting burned out? How can we fill our 'creative well' regularly?' as Julia Cameron from The Artist's Way would ask. There is a way and it's called Instagram. As long as you can get online, inspiration can be yours in a non-stop stream of talent and buzzing creativity. When Instagram first arrived, it was known for its over-processed To View More >>

Justine Ungaro is conducting a Master Class at WPPI about the challenges of setting up business in a new market. We're proud to be sponsoring her. We all know that selling albums can make you more $$, but did you know that selling albums will also make you a better photographer? It’s a hard-learned lesson that took me years to figure out, so I will try to save you time by giving it to you straight! When I started out as a wedding photographer, I didn’t sell a whole lot of albums. I was intensely focused on improving my photography skill and developing my creativity. But as the To View More >>

We’re proud to be supporting David and Luke Edmonson at WPPI this year. They’re talking about perhaps the most important challenge facing every professional photographer – how to transform their passion for photography into a successful longterm career. Luke and David want to be known for producing great photography, and serving their clients — but of course every sustainable business needs to generate profits as well. We’re going to publish an article about their sales strategies shortly, along with some of their work, but first we thought you’d like To View More >>

I watched this amazing Youtube video on my iPad yesterday. An awe inspiring piece of street theatre. It got me thinking how our lives are lived more and more in two dimensions … on our “devices”. We can, and do, connect virtually with almost anything, anywhere, any time. In fact Ian discovered this event reading a (gasp) book, and googling it. But I wish I’d really been there. That's the point of street theatre, right? Imagine being there on the streets of London - closed to traffic to make way for a five-story elephant, a giant girl and a huge happy crowd. Getting sprayed To View More >>

Yesterday I came across these beautiful invitations by Atelier Isabey. I wish I could touch them. I wish you could! Imagine our first sensory experience as babies - touch, taste, smell, sound, vision - how gradually they made the world real and meaningful... And how we realised that the world isn't just out there, that we can design it - make it beautiful - the origin of art, craft, home-making, cooking, gardening... based sometimes on our traditions, sometimes on our own creativity. I know some of us are more conscious of these things than others, but at least for the fortunate among us, finely To View More >>

I was working with a client last evening sorting out their album design, and yet again marveling at PJ Remix. We were looking at what we might do with their design to take it away from the ordinary. The expression Pimp My Album came to mind ... and things went crazy! There were tassels, dice, bling, and all sorts of flame shaped graphics ... quickly recognised as possibly on the absurd side of album creativity. It did get me thinking how I might accessorise my beautiful classic album. I thought I would start a list! The obvious beginning is a case ... there are two available (three if you include To View More >>

The Image College in association with Queensberry, is bringing Johannes van Kan to Australia for a brief visit in August/September to present one day seminars in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The heart and soul of the high end wedding album Winner of the 2010 WPPI Album of the Year, and multiple winner of the NZIPP Iris Awards Wedding Album of the Year, Johannes van Kan is one of an elite group of world class photographers creating profoundly beautiful albums for his wedding clients. In this event Johannes will take you on a journey beginning with: - Why he does what he does - The thought processes To View More >>

Yesterday's visits took us into the heart of first Ideo, then Google and Survey Monkey. All of them amazingly impressive with much to teach us about how you get to be the best in the world and create environments that foster creativity. We spend a lot of time at work, and with the people there. The better we can make work, the better our lives, but it's got harder since the financial meltdown. But Google sort of borrowed my breath, so to speak. The sheer magnitude: 16,000 people on the campus we visited. Hardly any looking older than 16, though they assured us the age range is extensive. You get To View More >>